Working From Home Burnout: An NYC Gestalt Therapist’s Guide for Moms.
The Marathon Before COVID
Remember, pre-COVID, you felt exhausted with the commute to the city, and it was only Tuesday. After work, you were running to Brooklyn to pick up your 3-year-old from daycare, then the race continued — home, kitchen, dinner, playtime, bedtime story, bath, brushing teeth. You collapsed on the bed, and you heard the Wednesday morning alarm. Sunday felt very anxiety-provoking — that the week and the race would start again. You also felt jealous of your friend who was working from home and did not have to run the NYC marathon as you did. This was your pace until COVID-19 and the shutdown.
The Shift During COVID
The COVID era brought shutdowns and survival mode — being a parent, employee, and teacher to your child all at once. Now your older child is back in school, but your little one is still tiny, and you’ve been working from home for more than four years. You notice the constant tiredness, the overwhelm from endless noise, and the juggling of Zoom meetings with the cries from the baby’s bedroom. Being home all the time — never alone — has started to feel draining.
The Burnout Creeps In
Your sleep started to change — you found yourself scrolling late at night, struggling to fall asleep. Your appetite shifted, and your pre-COVID clothes no longer fit. A quick trip to Banana Republic to try on new pants left you disappointed when you realized you needed a bigger size. You also noticed how easy it was to stay in the apartment for a day or even two, and even when you walked your oldest to school, that short walk wasn’t enough to move your body or clear your mind.
Why is that? You are not alone. What you’ve been experiencing are what we call the hazards of working from home. Many moms go through the same struggles and end up feeling burned out.
Hazards of Working From Home
Hazard #1: Blurred Boundaries
Working from the office often felt like a pain, but at least it had boundaries. There was a beginning and an end to the workday. There were breaks, lunch, chatting with co-workers, even a trip to the office bathroom. The office had its pluses — including silence — compared to sitting in a NYC apartment during an 11 a.m. Zoom meeting and hearing your baby crying because she doesn’t want to nap or just wants mommy.
The boundaries also included fully dressing up, putting on makeup, commuting, and not seeing your partner right after a meeting — or your baby rushing to hug you while you’re working on an important deadline spreadsheet. The commute time was also its own kind of luxury — a chance to sleep, do your makeup, scroll, read a book, or just sit quietly. All of those small luxuries disappear when you’re working from home.
Hazard #2: Isolation
I’m not telling you this to be dramatic, but remember that solitary confinement is used as torture in prisons for the most violent crimes. And while you are not a criminal, working from home comes with its own kind of isolation. You are cut off from co-workers, the NYC crowd, even the quick trips to DSW during your lunch break. Gone are the casual chats in the office, the co-worker birthday celebrations at a restaurant, and the simple buzz of being surrounded by people.
Hazard #3: Your Body Feels It Before Your Mind
Your body started accumulating the effects of lack of physical activity. You may have gained some weight because you’re no longer taking the NYC subway stairs or running to catch the M14 bus before it leaves. The easy access to the fridge is another hazard your body does not appreciate. And your body is also tired from the constant noise — your baby crying, your partner talking, the nanny moving around.
Hazard #4: Emotional Drain
You notice yourself scrolling more, finding it hard to read a book or focus your attention. Your eyes are tired from endless Zoom meetings. It’s hard for you to sit still. You don’t have the alert mornings you once did — instead, you wake up later and rush straight to your laptop. You might forget to have breakfast or even sip your favorite ginger tea. Every day feels like one long blur, melting into the next, never really ending.
Survival Tips for Moms Working From Home
You’ve been burned out from working from home. So what are survival tips?
1. Create a Routine
Wake up earlier. Do some body stretches or walk around the block. Have breakfast — in your kitchen, not during a Zoom meeting. Start putting this routine in your Google Calendar.
We are human, and we are creatures of habit — whether you graduated from the Ivy League or not. We thrive on routines and predictability. Start creating small routines that have a beginning and an end.
Have lunch in a designated area — it’s called the kitchen, not your desk. Put away your phone while you eat. Notice what you’re eating: the texture, the smell. You’ve been multitasking for too long. You deserve a time to slow down and do one thing at a time.
2. Do 10K Steps Each Day — No Less
Commit to 10,000 steps a day. Not less. Make it a competitive game with your partner or friends. Sitting is the most uncomfortable position for the human body — that’s why our furry pets never sit. They lie down, walk, or run.
So get outside. And don’t tell me “what if it’s raining.” You probably have the money to buy an umbrella or a raincoat. I love Columbia raincoats — lots of colors to choose from. Getting outside is not negotiable, it’s necessary for your mental and physical health.
And remember, this isn’t just about health — it’s about your work performance too. If your body falls apart, you can’t perform, or it becomes too difficult to do so.
3. Be Intentional About Scheduling Time With Friends and Co-Workers
Yes, it feels forced — but it has to be. You’re no longer running into co-workers in the office kitchen or grabbing a spontaneous happy hour with friends after work. That casual connection is gone when you work from home.
So you need to reach out and make the plan. Text your friend, schedule the coffee, suggest the walk. Most of the time, they’ll be happy to say yes — because if they also work from home, they’re probably struggling with the same challenge you are.
The challenge is real. The struggle is real. So don’t wait for connection to “just happen.” You have to create it.
4. Start or Resume a Hobby
I will not tell you to stop scrolling — because before you quit, you need something to trade it off with. The truth is, scrolling fills a gap. So experiment with your hobbies.
Try your old ones again and notice how you like them now. What kind of energy do they give you? How does your body and soul feel after doing them? Then, try something new. Give yourself the chance to replace mindless scrolling with something that actually feeds you.
5. Sleep Hygiene 101
Do not look at the clock if you can’t fall asleep. Do not nap during the day — I know, I know, it’s tempting. If you can’t fall asleep, don’t lie in bed tossing and turning for an hour. Get out of bed and do something dull, like reading. But don’t do it in bed.
Use the bed only for two things: sleeping and intimacy — nothing else.
If you have several days of bad sleep, your body will build up a sleep deficit, and eventually, you will fall asleep the following day. Trust your body.
Final Thoughts
If what you’ve read so far resonates with you, and you’d like more support around working from home and being a mom, schedule a free consultation session with me today.
My name is Yuliya, and I am both a therapist and a mom. I support mothers like you in developing routines, finding support, and building compassion for yourself as you juggle the many hats you wear.
Moms who are exhausted, isolated, and burned out — I see you, I hear you. I help women notice what is no longer working and discover what they can add to their lives to feel more energetic, happier, more connected, and truly seen.
Together, we will take a deep dive into the hats you are wearing. We’ll notice which ones feel too tight, and which ones need to be readjusted — so you can carry them with more ease.
You don’t have to do this alone. You deserve to feel like yourself again.
